The present invention relates to clinical evaluation of hearing loss and more particularly to an improved probe tip for use with ear test equipment.
There is a test procedure for evaluating hearing losses and/or ear disease, for example, which is known as Acoustic Impedance Testing or Impedance Audiometry. The test uses acoustical measurements made within the patient's outer ear canal and includes the step of closing off the ear canal adjacent to the patient's tympanic membrane with a probe. The probe has a tip to form an air seal for permitting the control of the air pressure within the sealed cavity and the transmission to and receipt of sound signals from the closed cavity. Several other hearing tests use probes with tips.
The equipment for these tests has been used heretofore with a number of ear probe tips for forming the seals. The probe tip of the present invention is improved whereby it forms a better and more sure seal permitting the tests to be done quickly and conveniently without critical adjustments of the probes or of the probe supports. This is of particular value in the case of children and certain other patients who may have short attention span or an inability to cooperate in the test procedures.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide improved probe tips for clinical evaluations of hearing losses or other ear problems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved probe tip of more efficient form for providing better sealing and for use with various probe supports including hand held probes and others. It likewise eliminates losing or displacing the tip within the external auditory canal.
Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.